Missing man last seen in Fort Bragg

A Roseville businessman who has been missing for over a week, was last seen in the Fort Bragg Area. A flyer emailed to the Advocate-News Tuesday said Stephen Pease, 57, last contacted his family on Oct. 28.

FBPD Chief Scott Mayberry said Tuesday that he knew little of the case until he was contacted by media from the Roseville area. He said FBPD took a missing persons report and forwarded it to Roseville Police Department.

Pease spent the night of Nov. 2 at the Surf and Sand Lodge and checked out Nov. 3, Mayberry said.

The Sacramento Bee reported Tuesday that Pease is a prominent developer in the Roseville area and owns a restaurant there. The report said a note was left on the door of the restaurant, saying it was closed due to unforeseen circumstances, but would reopen soon. Mayberry said the case is considered suspicious, because Pease walked away from the business and has not been contacted since.

The flyer says Pease was last seen driving a rented silver Chevy Captiva SUV, with an Oregon license plate, number 500GKN, which was due to be returned Nov. 5 but has not been brought back to Avis Rental.

Pease is described as being 5' 10" tall, 220 pounds, with gray hair and hazel eyes.

Long-time friend Kat Maudru said Tuesday that the electronic trail of credit card transactions and other communication stops in Fort Bragg. Maudru said the rental car was equipped with an OnStar emergency system. She said that when OnStar personnel tried to contact the vehicle, a signal could not be found.

"We just want to know he's OK, even if he doesn't want to come home," she said. "We're just hoping someone in your area has seen him or remembers [talking to] him. We're really grasping at straws right now."

Anyone with information is urged to call Fort Bragg Police Department at (707) 961-2800, the tip line at (707) 961-3049 or Maudru directly at (916) 753-4339.